Overcoming the Flesh is Walking in the Spirit.

Golden Text:
Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

*2 Corinthians 7:10

For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
…….If we ever lose the characteristic that reminds us where Christ brought us from, we could lose it all.
That sorrow is a work of the Spirit that causes an internal grief that is used to reveal to self, how imperfect we were before salvation, and how we still are.
That work (worketh) of Repentance shows a continuous work that will last until eternity.

Romans 8:
1 There is therefore now no condemnation (damnatory sentence) to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
…….When we made the decision to walk in salvation, the case of our eternity was reopened, and God the eternal judge gave us pardon because Christ already took the punishment. We were won by him and are now one with him!
The key is this; “who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
Question: Who do you walk after?
Do we chase the things that we think make us happy?
Or, do we walk after the Spirit, the only one who brings true happiness and peace?
The Spirit is the guide of life, he paves the path for us to walk, and works on our conscience for His purpose.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
…….The “law of the Spirit of life” is the regulating, activating power and life of the Holy Spirit that operates in the hearts of believers.
The Spirit has made us free!
That freedom is for everything that the enemy and our flesh stumbles over. When bodage tries it’s work in our life, we must reflect on the freedom that is promised by the Spirit!
We are only bound by what we choose. There is absolutely nothing of the past, nor of the future that can have a decision for our lives, it only settles by desire!
When the world offers an enticing painting, the Spirit remains the same in proving what has always been. There is only true life in His Spirit.
The greatest feeling of the Spirit is peace in not doing something that the flesh gets excited over! That is true freedom.

3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
…….The law was made to work for the good, but could never take away the desire for sin. While it reminded us of the consequences, it never showed the satisfaction of not fulfilling.
The law placed the chains of judgement, while the Spirit enables true liberty in the midst of slavery.
Though the law “condemned sin in the flesh” it left us there, living in Condemnation.
The law is simply useless without the work of the Spirit.

4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
…….The law working by and with the Spirit must be fulfilled (completely consummated) in us. The law by the Spirit is the “turning away” from sin. I no longer walk not after sin, not because I have to, but because I want to.
…….Though our righteousness is as filthy rags, the righteousness imputed by the Spirit is a cleansing from the inside out that causes Unity with the Father.

5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
…….”mind the things of” either the flesh or of the Spirit=
To feel, to think, to be of the same direction of, be parallel, to entertain.

6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Where does our mentality settle in?
A note of encouragement: it is always easier to “finish” right when we “start” right.
*Proverbs 8:17* I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me…….Getting our mind right in the beginning of our day will go with us all throughout the day.

7 Because the carnal (natural) mind is enmity (enemy) against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
…….It is a natural thing for our sinful man to desire the things that please the flesh. It has always been this way, and will always be. Our natural man is not subject, not in subjection to the law.
Instead if taking advise from the law, it runs from the law. Because of rebellion it (the carnal mind) stays from it’s advise, and because of pride it strives to it’s death to prove it can operate without it’s advice.

8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
…….The most plain and simple explanation, there is absolutely no way a man can keep a carnal mind and please our Lord. We can work tirelessly trying to prove, but at the end of life, if it wasn’t God’s desire for our life, it was vanity!

9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
…….To answer a question that has been confused for generations, if you are a child of God you have His Spirit living inside. What a privilege and thought!
Though the Baptism in the Spirit is a different submerging by his Spirit, to take you to a different level with him, (and yes it needs to be accomplished) at salvation you received His Spirit! Yes, he is in you and with you!

10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
…….No matter how hard the enemy makes it to look…remember, the strongest force of power that has ever existed is living inside of you. That power is more real than life itself and was given to you for this very purpose, “to overcome the flesh.”